Building volunteerism into meetings/incentives

Mon, 2005-05-23 15:29

I was speaking with a gentleman yesterday about volunteerism and why, when so many attendees are big-time volunteers to programs outside of work, so few meetings build volunteerism into their programs. Sure, some meetings throw in a half-day cleaning up a daycare center, or help with a Habitat for Humanity house, but it's usually before or after the meeting itself, not a part of it (with the exception of some religious and medical meetings). Why not give your meeting a mission? It so easily could be done, yet so few do it.

And I'd pump it up, too, in promotions for the next meeting or incentive. I'd go back to the previous year's project, find out what the results of our efforts were, and share those with prospective attendees for this year's event. Everyone likes to feel they're contributing to something larger than themselves and their job--I think this could be a really good incentive to get people psyched up for the meeting, and enhance their perception of the organization and their role in it.